Clan
by Miss Chang Po
Summary: Post Time Skip Yes, Himesama… we know… we wish to hold a ceremony to honor him. But, is it true what we’ve heard?” The Hokage noted that the clans’ heads looked just as eager to know as the younger kunoichi. “About Yondaime’s Legacy…?” Updated! RxR yo
1. Chapter 1

Begun July 18, 2006

8/24/06

Author's Notes - 'Ello, everyone! Yes, yes, I know... it's been quite a while... but as I'm sure you know... I've been without a computer for quite some time...

The Divine Nataku - :pouts: I have, too, y'know...

But this is about me, so shh::sticks out her tongue: Anywho, now that I've got a _working _computer (god it took forever!) I can get back to work on all my fics that have been dying for updates. But, being the kind of slacker that I am... I decided to instead to post a new one to the mound...

The Divine Nataku - Though I can't blame you... I, too, have become a Naruto-junkie...

Wufei - Pshh... weak females... :face pales when he's sees their heads snap around to face him:

:author and Miss Chang Po glomp him: Wufei-chan! We missed yoouuuuuu!

Wufei - -;;;

Naruto

"Clan"

Prologue - Debriefing

The Godaime no Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, Slug Mistress of the Legendary Sannin, was engaged in a battle of wills against one of her most hated foes, a battle in which only one could possibly emerge victorious. She was almost certain the tide was about to turn in her favor when a knock on her office door caused her to momentarily lose her focus.

"Come in," she ground out, turning back to her eternal nemesis. She would not be beaten just yet! She refused to surrender! She was the _Hokage_, damnit!

The door opened and in stepped one Hatake Kakashi, pausing at the amount of killing intent the blonde kunoichi was directing towards a stack of paperwork sitting in front of her. His one visible brow raised slightly at the sight.

"Ahem, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade blinked, her battle aura diminishing as she focused her gaze on the droopy-eyed Jounin. "Kakashi-kun… back already?"

The infamous Copy Ninja approached her desk, laying a plain unlabeled manila folder out before her. "Here's our mission report."

"Kinda thick," Tsunade frowned, sparing a glance at the already increasing mound on her desk.

"Yes, well," the Jounin scratched his masked chin absently. "Quite a bit happened…"

"Was the mission a success, at least?" she asked hopefully. The last thing she needed was another botched mission with Kakashi's group. The last one had nearly caused an international incident which had meant lots and lots of paperwork.

Tsunade _hated _paperwork.

"Yes, we were able to deliver the scrolls to their destination. But," Kakashi paused, taking notice of the twitch Tsunade was rapidly developing as she paged through his report. "We ran into a little _interference_."

"I was assured that the route I assigned you would be free and clear," Tsunade replied.

"We had to take a different route." Kakashi answered.

"And why is that?" asked the Hokage, the storm clouds slowly brewing around her head. Kakashi opened his mouth – though you couldn't tell – but Tsunade cut him off sighing in frustration. "Nevermind, I don't want to know; I'm sure it's all in here." She set down the folder and closed it. "This is the third time, you know."

Kakashi closed his visible eye. "Yes, Hokage-sama,"

"Even the simplest of missions put in Jeopardy because of petty genin-level mistakes…" Tsunade rubbed the bridge of her nose. "It's not good for business."

"The mission was a success," Kakashi reiterated.

"No doubt because of your presence, I'm sure," Tsunade scowled. "I can't afford to have you tailing them around when you're needed elsewhere. Those three should be able to work together by now...they're all Chuunin now for God's sake!" She sighed once again, this time almost desolately. "I wonder it was a mistake reinstating their team."

The jounin tensed. "They were happy when you did so," he said simply. '_I was, too…_'

"I know," she agreed sadly. "But they weren't ready. They were nowhere near ready."

"Naruto and Sakura worked well enough together on the missions they were assigned." Kakashi argued. "They passed the Bell Test." '_But by throwing Sasuke back into the mix…_'

"Yes, I remember you telling me," Tsunade said. She remembered the Jounin's report on the brat and her young apprentice. The younger man's voice had held pride for his students, tempered with sadness at the neglect he had shown them in the past as well as the fact that one of them was missing. Tsunade had felt for him, but she was more angry at the fact that there were more people taking blame for the boy's absence than the ones actually responsible.

"They _had_ to work together," she murmured, staring down at her hands. "They needed each other to stay sane."

Kakashi didn't comment.

Tsunade flipped through the report again, frowning when she came across certain parts that she didn't like. She glanced back up at Kakashi, her expression neutral.

"All other matters aside," Her voice brought the Jounin out of his own morose thoughts. "How's the Uchiha kid doing?"

Kakashi scratched his head. "He shows no lasting effects from any of his injuries as they've all pretty much healed," he answered. "Although with the curse seal still in place, he seems a little leery of using his stronger jutsus…"

_'Jutsus learned from Orochimaru no doubt_,' Tsunade thought. '_No big loss_.' "And the Sharingan?"

"The seals you and Jiraiya-sama placed on the Mangekyou notwithstanding, I don't think he can't activate the full Sharingan without fear of waking the Curse Seal."

Tsunade snorted humorlessly. The Prodigy without his precious Kekkei Genkai… what that would do to that ego of his... '_If that's not poetic justice I don't know what is…_' "How's he dealing?"

"A little upset about it, understandably," Kakashi answered. "But…"

The Hokage tensed, noting the genuine hesitation in the other ninja's voice. "But…?"

"He found out what happened during the mission involving his recovery."

The file folder slipped from Tsunade's fingers, falling to the desk with a barely audible clatter. Brown eyes darkened in frustration.

"Damn,"

End Prologue


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer – Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama and the people at Shonen Jump and whoever has a piece of its rights and whatnot… I'm just doin' this for the fun of it. )

_Italics - _Past tense/flashback

'_Italics'_ - Thoughts

"**Clan**"

Chapter 1 – Mission Accomplished

**oo Two Years Previous oo**

_"What the hell…?"_

_The sky before them lit up as the trees in the distance vanished in a violent plume of flame._

_"Katon," White eyes narrowed in anger. "I'd recognize that chakra signature anywhere."_

_The ninja of their squad in charge of information gathering turned to him, blue eyes questioning. "Who could it--" Those same eyes widened in horror. "No… you're kidding…"_

_Their squad leader let out a heavy sigh, reaching into his pack with one hand, idly scratching his chest with his free one. "How troublesome…" He pulled out his field manual, dark half-lidded eyes quickly scanning its pages. "Says here any group that encounters him is to apprehend him at once… preferably alive."_

_A Doton no jutsu was fired off, shaking the ground and bringing down another copse of trees._

_"Doesn't sound like he's having much fun," commented a dark haired kunoichi with a large scroll strapped to her back._

_"He's facing five other ninja," the white-eyed ninja supplied. "Four now…"_

_"Then it can't be the Akatsuki," the information specialist replied. "They always work in pairs," She turned to the only silent member of their group. "Right?"_

_"It could be Oto-nin or Akatsuki," the squad leader said when the silent ninja made no signs of answering. "Nonetheless, our orders stay the same."_

_"You serious?" the information specialist blinked. He nodded._

_"So we gag'im, bag'im, and bring'im back to Konoha in one piece," the scroll-carrying kunoichi replied. "Any ideas on how?"_

_The squad leader glanced around the group. "Suggestions?"_

_"Move in quietly and see how thing pan out." the unusually quiet ninja answered. "If we gotta pull a snatch and grab, fine… but we're probably better off waiting to see if he takes care of most of the dirty work for us."_

_His teammates stared at him in awe._

_"That's not a bad idea…"_

_The squad leader recovered from his own shock quickly, slipping the field book back into his traveling pouch. "Well, if no one is opposed, let's split up and take positions before we lose our chance. Ready?" Everyone nodded. "Go!"_

_All five young Leaf Ninja vanished from sight._

ooo

_He could feel the bones in his right shoulder breaking apart – whether from that last sound attack or his impact with the tree behind him didn't matter. Sheathing his Kusunagi momentarily, he did a few quick seals – ignoring the mind-searing pain such movement caused – creating a Kawarimi of himself with a log that took the next volley head on, exploding in a shower of splinters._

_"You think you're so clever, don't you, Uchiha-chan?" A ninja with long blue hair, dressed in black pants and a fish net top jumped down from above, hurling a fist full of senbon at his opponent's vitals. Quick to act, the young ninja drew his sword once again, slashing the projectiles away with one swing. "Tricks like that are best suited for the Academy, kiddy. How pathetic can you be?" He rushed forward, ramming the young man into another tree, eliciting a scream of pain. "You poor, poor thing… You've come all this way only to fail right before the end… it really is quite sad."_

_The younger ninja scowled up at him, tensing at the slight pinching sensation at the joining of his neck and shoulder. '_Damn it…_' He'd worked so long to control it; he couldn't let it get the best of him now. No more than he could let this freak show beat him! "I haven't failed anything."_

_He ducked out of his opponent's grasp, delivering a harsh kick to the chin that sent him flying backwards. The flames' light in the distance glinted off a hitai-ate in his peripheral vision and he turned just in time to block a blow from another Oto-ninja's Zanbatou. This ninja was a large man, standing perhaps a good foot taller than he with shoulders twice as broad. Unlike his companion, the exression on his face was nowhere near as amused at his presence._

_"Ungrateful little worm!" He swung down at him with his blade again, knocking up hunks of earth and rock with the force of each blow. "You think just because you have Orochimaru-sama's seal you can do as you please? How dare you try to stand against us!"_

_Uchiha Sasuke, born of Konohagakure, once of Otogakure, and now declared a nukenin, stared down his opponent, his expression revealing nothing. "No," he replied. "That would be foolish…" His gaze wandered over to the two cloaked figures standing by in the distance, surveying the battle. "Just like thinking capturing a Bijuu will grant you power."_

_The Zanbatou-wielder snarled, just as the first ninja came in for another volley. "And what would you know, Uchiha-chan?" he sneered. "You haven't got a Bijuu!"_

_"No," Sasuke replied, his long hair creating a dark curtain hanging over his face. Meanwhile his hands quickly formed seals faster than the two ninja could see. "But neither do any of you." He thrust his hands out, crying out in pain as he yelled, "**Katon: Fureimingu Bakudan!**"_

_Whatever the enemy ninja had been expecting, it was not that. The energy from Sasuke's attack hit the large ninja head on, crashing through his Zanbatou and sending its shattered remains directly towards him. The blue haired ninja let out a cry of surprise, though he managed to jump out of the way of the attack last minute. As he touched down a few meters away, he looked up just in time to see his partner's dead body hit the ground with a loud thud._

_"Damn," His eyes went from the large ninja's corpse to their third companion, the first ninja the Uchiha kid had finished off. Their master had warned them not to try and attack him head on and his teammates had paid the price. Still, were they supposed to just let him walk away after everything he had done? Never! He sneered, "So, you actually got both of them…"_

_Panting heavily and cradling his injured shoulder, Sasuke turned to face him. "Unless you'd like to join them…" he snarled. "You'll get out of my way."_

Arrogant_… The Oto-ninja scoffed, falling into an offensive stance. The kid was thrashed, he didn't stand a chance! "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Uchiha-chan?" he purred, sparring a quick glance to their audience… or more specifically, the ninja that bore a striking resemblance to the one in front of him… even more now than he had in earlier years. "Ahh… I get it… you wanna cross blows with 'niichan, don't you? Get back at him for all the pain he's caused you?" He laughed, his eyes hardening. "Sorry, kiddy, but Orochimaru-sama wants you back and he wants you back in once piece. Can't have Big Brother turning you into a smear on the forest floor."_

_Sasuke fought back a snarl, frowning only slightly before allowing his expression to become neutral once again. "I'm not going back," he said._

_"Ah, but you are," the ninja responded. "You made a deal. It's bad enough you made our master wait another 3 years before taking you as his new vessel… not a very nice way to return all the favors he's granted you, ne?"_

_"Favors?" His blank expression morphed back into a scowl "Shut up."_

_The Oto-ninja laughed, rushing forward with the intent of finishing him off when his path was blocked by a large, scaly sword._

_Everyone present in the area froze._

_The ninja, whose name happened to be Don-don, stared up the length of the blade at the blue faced ex-Kirigakure ninja grinning at him much like the shark he resembled._

_"Hey," Hoshigaki Kisame stared down at Don-don, his fanged teeth glinting in the fire light. "Why don'cha leave the kid to me? We really don't need you here anymore."_

_Don-don tensed, affronted. "Orochimaru-sama wants Uchiha-chan in once piece," he said._

_"Yeah, well, what the Snake wants ain't really our concern," Kisame smirked. "Besides, we can't always get what we want, now can we, Princess?"_

_Don-don cursed, jumping back a step as his hands formed seals. With a loud snarl he cried out, "**Zan Ku Ha!**" A large wave of chakra charged air raced across the ground towards the shark-like ninja, ripping up chunks of earth as it went. Sasuke merely watched as Kisame smirked, raising his scaled Samehada into the airwave's path. The sword pulsed, drawing all of the chakra out of the attack until nothing was left._

_Sparing a quick smirk for the awestruck Oto-nin, Kisame gave Sasuke a feral, toothy grin, replying, "I'll be with you in just a second, Kid." Cracking his neck, he turned his attention back to Don-don. "All right, let's do this."_

**oo Back to Present Day oo**

"So the Akatsuki took care of the pursuing Oto-ninja and then turned on Sasuke," Tsunade mused, attempting to rehash the events read from the mission case file in her mind. The squad leader assigned to that particular mission tended to write very brief, if almost non-descriptive, reports, but for this particular case he'd written enough for her to get a clear picture of how the events had played themselves out.

"Yes, and Sasuke somehow managed to finish off Kisame," Kakashi replied, though he still had no idea of how he'd managed such a feat. The report had mentioned something about the sword… but it could have been those who really knew what occurred didn't really feel like saying…

**oo Again, Two Year Previous oo**

_The last Sons of the Uchiha clan lashed out at each other without any words exchanged. Whatever Itachi's reasons might have been, Sasuke was certain nothing else was left to be said. The speed at which they rushed each other left no mistake of their intentions; no matter the outcome of their battle, at least one Uchiha would die._

_The Konoha ninja squad leader, Nara Shikamaru, wiped the sweat from his brow, squinting his eyes at the flash from Sasuke's Housenka no Jutsu. The fire styled attack had caused no damage to the elder Uchiha, but it had at least allowed him to escape his brother's initial attack._

_'_I've been told that the extended use of the Sharingan has irreparably damaged Itachi's vision… leaving him nearly blind…_' The shadow master frowned. '_Still, Sasuke's looking pretty beat up… poor vision isn't going to give him anywhere near enough of an advantage to take his older brother out, is it?_'_

_A presence landed beside him suddenly and Shikamaru drew a kunai, letting out a breath when he realized it was only Yamanaka Ino._

_"Password?" he asked, smirking._

_"Purple mongoose," she smirked back as he grinned and lowered his weapon. Her expression soon melted away however at the sight of the battle raging below. "They're tearing each other apart…"_

_Sasuke had just pile-driven Itachi into the ground, only to be kicked in the chin and sent spiraling into the air._

_"It's no secret Sasuke wants his older brother dead," Shikamaru remarked. "Though with the way he's looking I don't know how he's gonna manage it…"_

_Ino remained silent. Her feelings for the self-proclaimed Avenger had cooled dramatically since his defection to Otogakure 4 years previous, but she still couldn't help but cringe at the beating he was so obviously receiving. Still, even if she'd_ wanted _to help him out, what could she possibly have done? A Mind Walker against_ two _Sharingan wielders? Madness!_

_"What's our move now?" she asked._

_"I see no reason to deviate from our original plan," The Shadow master replied. "We just need a moment where we can get in, grab our target—"_

_There was an anguished cry as Itachi landed a blow on Sasuke's injured shoulder._

_"—before he gets slaughtered!" Ino stressed._

_Their radio headsets crackled to life as Neji's voice came over the intercom with the barest note of anxiety. "#1, we're losing our window," he said. "What's our move?"_

_Shikamaru frowned. This was the reason he hadn't wished to become a Jounin. As a Chuunin, he could stick close to the village and complete relatively easy missions involving very little hard work or danger. But since becoming a Jounin – damn Ino, why'd he always go against his own wishes just to please her? – even the simplest reconnaissance mission could turn into something like this. Missions where lives depended on his decisions – granted, he didn't feel any sort of responsibility for the Uchiha outside of this mission, but he didn't want that kind of guilt weighing on him ever again. Ever._

_The sounds of battle had gone silent, and he glanced down again to see the two brothers standing several feet away from each other, neither making any sort of moves. "They're talking to each other?"_

_"I can't make out what they're saying," Ino complained. "There's too much smoke to read lips."_

_"It doesn't matter," Neji said. "We've got to move now."_

_Shikamaru nodded. "#2… get ready…" Ino nodded, her expression tense but resolved. "#4, when I give the signal, I want you to throw out all you've got at Itachi,"_

_"Got it." came the Weapon's Mistress' reply._

_"Once they've split, #3 and #5 are gonna rush Itachi just long enough for me and Ino to get clear. Understand?"_

_"Understood."_

_"Yeah…,"_

_Ino and Shikamaru exchanged looks but pressed on. "All right, on my mark – 3…2… what the hell…?"_

_Suddenly Itachi rushed towards Sasuke, slamming him to the ground with a sickening crack. It looked as though the younger Uchiha might finally be done in, but then he suddenly shot up, Kusunagi in hand. With quick thrust and a cry of_ **_Chidori Nagashi_** _he rammed it into his brother's chest with all his might, the energy and the blow itself sending the elder ninja staggering backwards with wide, red eyes._

_'_Shit…'_ Shikamaru thought from his own hiding spot. '_I bet he didn't see that coming._'_

_Sasuke struggled to stand up, his facial expression void of any emotion. However, after a few seconds he dropped to the ground once again, this time unconscious._

_The Leaf Ninja squad leader stood up, his hands already going through seals for his signature jutsu. "Everyone! Here's our window, so move!"_

_Each ninja vanished from their spot, prepared to carry out their tasks. A shower of everything from senbon to shuriken rained down from the sky, blocking Itachi's path to his prone brother. A long shadow lurched along the ground towards Sasuke, lifting him bonelessly into the air. Ino then appeared out of a cloud of smoke, grabbing the unconscious Sasuke before vanishing just as quickly._

_If he had any objections about this turn of events Itachi made no obvious objections. A long-haired Hyuuga fazed into view directly in front of him. A well placed Kaiten sent him spinning directly into a purple tinted Rasengan._

_The Hyuuga later commented he some exchange between the target and his own partner, but couldn't attest whether it was his imagination or not. It wasn't as if it really mattered, of course..._

_After that, there was only oblivion._

**oo Present Day oo**

Tsunade could only imagine how the kid could have reacted. To know that you'd failed to complete your life's goal only to have it done so easily by the person you had betrayed and nearly killed in pursuit of said goal.

"He was pissed?"

"Didn't show it," Kakashi answered, though they both knew that was far from a 'no'.

"Who told him?"

"He overheard Ino telling Sakura about it." Tsunade sighed; it looked as though she needed to have another chat with her apprentice… as well as her two teammates.

She'd been surprised when Shikamaru's team returned from Kusa no Kuni with a gravely injured Uchiha Sasuke in tow. She'd been furious when she learned the circumstances of his capture, but could do nothing about it since the order for them to do so had still stood. Naturally, news of his return spread quickly and everyone was up in arms over what was to be his fate.

The most obvious answer was death. He was a missing nin, and had committed unspeakable acts under Orochimaru's orders. Of course, the Council would hear none of this. Apparently the Uchiha still had power within their ranks even as ghosts. The Council insisted that as the last living heir of the Uchiha Clan, and only true-blooded wielder of the Sharingan – could Kakashi even pass his onto descendants? He didn't seem to be concerned with finding out – Sasuke was a valuable commodity to Konohagakure and could not be allowed to die.

So, Tsunade had had no choice but to forgo executing the brat and put him on probation instead. Of course, there were restrictions to be had – not only had he had several of his Tenketsu points sealed off courtesy of one Hyuuga Neji, but he'd also been placed under 24-hour surveillance. For 10 months they'd waited to see not only whether or not the teen would survive his injuries, but if it was even worth attempting to allow him to remain a ninja. He'd proved once that he'd do anything to achieve a goal; could he be trusted with Konoha's welfare?

There'd been talk, there'd been pressure from multiple sides… everyone knew the rumors… what would become of Team 7? Had it, too, been doomed to fail like all its predecessors?

Two years passed with no developments and the Hokage found herself torn. She hadn't wanted that black mark lingering on her two favorite kids… so despite her reservations, she'd allowed them to reform their old team with the hope they'd be able to pick up where they left off before everything fell apart…

Unfortunately, she'd been more right than she'd expected…

"Kakashi,"

Inwardly the Jounin flinched at the steel in the Hokage's tone. This certainly didn't bode well for his students.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Find your team and tell them to come my office immediately—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the door to her office opened up revealing a harried looking Chuunin.

"Forgive the intrusion, Hokage-sama," he breathed.

Tsunade frowned, but recognizing him from border patrol, she made no objections. "How many are there now?"

"At least 75, ma'am," the Chuunin answered. "We suspect more may be arriving soon."

Kakashi blinked, turning a questioning eye to the Hokage. "Is something happening?"

Tsunade gave him a disbelieving look before quickly recovering. "You have been gone awhile haven't you?"

"And I came straight here as you asked." He added. He hadn't even gotten the chance to see if the latest volume of _Icha Icha Paradise: Redux_ had come in yet. The old Frog Hermit was certainly getting more creative with each new volume. He remembered Volume 12, Chapter 112 when…

If Tsunade could tell the path on which his thoughts lay, she was doing surprisingly well by not showing it. After all, there were more important things to be concerned with than Kakashi's off and on the clock perversity…

"Since 4 weeks ago, we've been noticing a small group of people accumulating just outside the perimeter of the village," she explained. "It started off as just a group of 15 people, but they've set up camp and their numbers are gradually increasing."

Kakashi's eye widened. How could he have not been aware of this?

As if sensing his thoughts, Tsunade replied, "They've situated themselves on our western border, while your team came in from the Southeast."

"Are they hostile?"

"They haven't shown any signs so far," the Chuunin answered. "Though we've still no idea why they're here."

"Nonetheless," Tsunade rose from her seat, resisting the urge to crack her back – she knew it wasn't beneficial anyway – turning to the window and the dusky view of the village. "Make sure each gate is fortified with extra patrol. I want everyone on their guard 'til we find out just what business they have here. We certainly don't need anymore trouble."

"Ma'am," the Chuunin bowed and vanished.

"Your orders for me, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked.

"For now, get some rest," Tsunade ordered. "God knows you probably need it. First thing tomorrow, report back here and we'll see if you and ANBU can't figure out what the hell's going on."

Kakashi nodded, and with a bow he, too, vanished in a poof of smoke.

Her office empty again, Tsunade sagged down into her chair, massaging her temples.

"Damn, I need a drink…"

End Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - I traded Naruto a bowl of ramen for rights to his person. So long as he doesn't figure out I can't stand ramen... everything should be cool. So don't tell him, 'kay?

Chapter 2 – Return

Given the outcome of their recent mission, Naruto knew it would only be a matter of time before he found himself being summoned to the Hokage's Tower to be chewed by Tsunade. It was because of this that rather to wait around for the inevitable, he was currently settled comfortably outside one of the patrol stations situated along the high walls surrounding the village. He was rarely ever assigned guard duty on the wall – he hadn't the patience for it. It was the last place Tsunade's messengers would think to look for him.

Not that he was hiding from her… oh no. That would suggest guilt… No, it was much more fun harassing the sentry guards.

"Here come four more…" Half-lidded blue eyes drifted from the wild-looking Chuunin perched at the wall's edge with a large what dog at his side, out to the forest where true enough, four figures emerged from the shadows of the forest. "What's the count now?" He turned and nudged a figure slouched on the ground below him with his foot. "Yo, Nara! Wake up, you slacker!"

The Jounin with the pineapple-esque hairstyle opened one eye, shooting his offender a dirty look. "I'm awake, thank you…" A frustrated sigh.  
"A guy can't even relax around here…"

"Not on duty ya' can't!" Inuzuka Kiba growled. Of all the people for him to be paired with… Sheesh… "Do I hafta call Ino up here to get your ass in gear?"

Naruto grinned, his arms folded comfortably behind his head. He watched the Shadow mater twitch at the threat, rising to his feet muttering the usual "how troublesome" under his breath.

Pulling a notepad and pen out of his vest, the Jounin made a notation, dictating as he wrote. "Time, 1845 hours… 4 new arrivals from Southeast to Western gate… current count 77… 79 if you count the two birds that were circling 3 hours ago…"

"Birds?" Kiba scoffed. "They're just birds… besides, they're already gone."

Naruto's grin widened. "Are they?"

Kiba frowned at him, but then glanced at the dog beside him. "Akamaru?"

The dog barked a response.

"They touched down beneath the canopy…" Shikamaru glanced down at his notepad. "1515 hours… they didn't take off again, so my guess is they're probably trained."

"Are they nin?" Kiba asked.

"I couldn't tell," Shikamaru answered. "I couldn't see any hitai-ate."

Silence fell over the group only to be broken by Kiba dropping into a sitting position. "Man, this is lame…" he complained. "All these people showing up here… almost three weeks of this and still nothing!"

"You're getting paid, aren't you?" Shikamaru remarked. "Why complain?"

The dog ninja only growled in annoyance.

Curiosity piqued, Naruto sat up, peering over the wall at the small encampments set up in the distance. They were close enough to be spotted by the naked eye from the wall, but not close enough to be immediately labeled a threat. At least these people seemed to possess some idea of ninja decorum; even merchants knew how and how not to approach a Hidden Village. But if they were merchants and not enemies, why hadn't they approached the Main Gate yet?

"Do we know why they're here?" he asked.

"Nope," Shikamaru drawled, his brows drawn together in his usual thoughtful/partially annoyed expression. "No one's made a move since they showed up."

"So, no one's even approached them?" Naruto blinked. He'd known the old lady wasn't taking any chances when it came to external affairs – one of the reasons Team 7 was on her shit list at the moment for that debacle in Kusa – but this was ridiculous! "We're just gonna sit here and wait for them to make the first move?"

"Yup," Kiba snorted. "It's not like we're just gonna go up to 'em an' say, '_Hey, whaddya want?_' right?"

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Hm, actually, that's not a bad idea." The blonde ninja rose to his feet, walking up the wall's edge.

"What! Are you serious!" The two ninja on duty gawked at him in horror. "You don't even know if they're friends or enemies!"

"All the more reason to find out, right?" He tossed them a wave and fox-like grin as he stepped off the ledge, landing nimbly on the ground beyond the wall. A few hand seals and some seconds later he vanished in a poof of smoke.

The young man stared in silence before Kiba broke the silence. "Ya think they'll kill him?" he asked.

Shikamaru groaned, slapping a hand to his forehand. "If not, Hokage-sama will…" He shook shis head resignedly. "Man, how troublesome…"

Akamaru barked in amusement.

They reminded him of the traveling groups he had sometimes come across in his travels with the Frog Hermit Jiraiya when he was 12. 'Gypsies' the Sannin had called them. From their clothes and mannerisms, they looked as though they came from all across the Elemental nations, and yet they behaved so familiarly amongst each other… like they were all a part of one, large clan.

As an orphan, Naruto had always found himself torn between his emotions regarding clan dynamics. On one hand, he couldn't stand when people boasted their superiority due to their affiliation with one large group…

_Akastuki_…

_Hyuuga_…

_Uchiha_…

It was his belief that a person's merits should be based upon their own individual strengths and achievements, _not_ their family's.

'_Who cares if your father was this, or your great-grand uncle was that? If you can't beat me one on one without bringing them into it, what kind of fighter are you…?_'

Still, another part of him always felt a stirring of something, be it envy or longing… With clans, there was a sense of belonging, the knowledge that there were others that shared something in common with you, and would stand by you no matter what, even sometimes just because of that special bond. Naruto had his special people, those he would do anything to protect… those he would do everything to protect… But those people had their own clans, their own families with whom they shared something important, something special, something Naruto was certain he would never, ever know.

It hurt… it was times like these he understood most why people despised him. The day the Kyuubi no Youko attacked the village, it had taken the lives of ninja and civilians alike, wiping out entire clans, taking away that special something that could likely never be replaced. When he thought of that, he understood the hated glares directed towards him. He understood the pain, the fear, the anger…

When he thought of these things he felt them, too…

Caught up in his own musings, he didn't notice the foreign presence in the forest beneath him until his keen ears caught the snapping of a twig beneath a sandaled foot. Depressing thoughts pushed aside, a hand went for his weapons' pouch as he dropped down from his hiding spot, kunai ready to strike—

The most unassuming face he had ever seen. Aquamarine eyes stared at him wide and unblinkingly; small, graceful hands held up in a sign of non-hostility.

"Sorry, sorry… didn't mean to scare you, honest!"

Naruto regarded the intruder carefully; a young teenage girl dressed in a plain tan yukata with a light blue obi and matching sandals. Her round, cherubic face was framed by the short brown hair that fell this way and that around her head in uneven, but kind of cute, clumps, curling upwards at the base of her neck. With her aquamarine eyes, she almost put him mind of a female, non-homicidal tendency-possessing Gaara… not that he'd ever, _ever_ tell the Godaime Kazekage (or anyone else) that, of course.

By her position behind him, she'd come from the direction of the village, so assuming her a Konoha-native (she didn't look or dress like a ninja, and he hadn't seen any activity from their visitors) he lowered his kunai, tucking it back into his pouch.

"You didn't scare me," he answered honestly. "You just surprised me. I didn't expect anyone to be out here at this time of night."

**_Smooth, brat, silky smooth_**, the Kyuubi muttered in the back of his head. However, before the blonde could think of a snappy comeback, the youkai's presence had already faded from his mind.

The girl smiled at him. "I'm on my way home now anyways," she admitted. "But I saw you sitting in that tree and I was curious about what you were doing…"

Naruto's pride smarted just a little, but he tried not to pull a face. After all, he hadn't really been trying all that hard to hide…

"I was just… well, you know… just hanging around, y'know?" He closed his eyes, laughing absently.

The girl blinked, but catching the poor attempt at a joke, giggled softly.

"Pretty lame, eh?"

_**Very…**_

"It was worth the shot," she consoled. "But anyways, I better run before my family starts to worry."

There went the mentioning of family again… Still, his fox grin did not falter. "Yeah, it's really not safe outside the village at night."

The girl nodded, bowing to him courteously. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Ninja-san." Naruto nodded his head to show he felt likewise. She then turned to leave but stopped, reaching into the sleeve of her yukata for a small tube. "Oh yeah, this is for you…"

He accepted the tube, realizing it was a small, metal canister for protecting important scrolls. Taking the scroll out of its protective container, he saw a seal with a Dragon, a Phoenix, and a Tiger all chasing each other in circle glaring back at him. He'd never seen anything like it before. Glancing up at the girl he frowned in confusion. "What isthis?"

"Could you please see to it that Hokage-sama receives it?" she asked.

"But what _is_ this?" he said.

"It's from the Clans _Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu_," she answered. "We hereby announce that our mission is now complete."

oo

Tsunade rose from her seat, her deceptively youthful face red in anger and disbelief, papers from her desk fluttering to the ground in disarray. "_What _did you just say!"

Shizune cast a worried glance at the younger blonde cautiously backing towards the door.

"I went and talked to one of those outsiders," he said casually, though it was obvious to anyone with eyes that he was sweating bullets under the Hokage's furious glare. Even with all of Jiraiya's tutelage, there was no jutsu in the world that would save him should he somehow incite the Slug Master's infamous wrath. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"What the big _deal_ is?" Tsunade moved from behind her desk, striding up to the blonde to fix him with a stern glare. Despite the fact that he was almost as tall as her (even at 18 he was still the shortest male of his graduating class) the look was still intimidating. "Are you kidding me? Are you _really_ that _stupid?_!"

Naruto sputtered helplessly before coming back with, "Hey, it's not like you gave orders _not_ to do anything! Hell, I figured we actually _wanted_ to know why they were here!"

"And did you figure that out, smart ass?"

"No…" Naruto sulked briefly before fishing in his pouch for the canister the girl had given him. "But a girl outside the wall gave me this. She said to tell you that they'd completed their mission."

"Who did?" Shizune asked as the Hokage studied the canister, her face paling at the seal on the scroll hidden inside. "Tsunade-sama…?"

oo

The Council Room was packed to the brim with people, representatives from various clans – shinobi and civilian alike – scattered across the large auditorium. They all conversed amongst each other about the recent events at hand.

Suddenly, the large doors behind the stage creaked open and the Hokage flanked by several officials emerged, causing a silence to fall over the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Assembly," an older administrative nin replied, holding up his hands to attract everyone's attention to the center of the room. The few quiet murmurs that had echoed throughout the room quickly silenced. "Thank you all for your patience and attendance; now, if the representatives would please step forward."

Six figures standing at the base of the stage rose and approached the podium in pairs. Each figure, though no longer in their prime, each walked with the pride and strength of a warrior. They were all lean and graceful, donned in the traditional robes of high ranking clansmen. However, what drew everyone's attention most was the hitai-ate they all bore revealing a strangely version a spiraled leaf.

It signified them as shinobi of the Leaf.

The Administrative ninja stepped to the side making room for Tsunade, donned in the ceremonial robes of the Hokage, to address the newcomers.

"A lot of your faces look familiar," she confessed. "But if you would, for the Assembly, state your names and ranks."

Two members of the group stepped forward, an older man and a middle aged woman, bowing for the Hokage. By their appearance they shared the same clan affiliation; their robes were a deep, rich blue with green trim. They both had dark, graying hair that showed hints of green, pulled back in low ponytails. The woman wore her hitai-ate proudly on her forehead, while the old man bore his on his arm like an honor guard.

It was the man who spoke first. "My greetings to you, Tsunade-hime… Godaime no Hokage… I am Daiki and this is my daughter, Kanae." The woman bowed once again. "We are both Jounin representing the Shiromoto Clan."

They stopped to the side, allowing a second pair to approach. This pair consisted of a very old woman and a slightly younger man around Jiraiya's age. Over their navy blue kimono they both wore tan-colored haori with white trim that stopped just below the knees. They each also bore matching blue markings on their faces – a singular stripe running from the jaw-line to mid-cheek on either side of the face. The older man wore his hitai-ate around his neck, leaving his bald head exposed. His companion wore his over his forehead, the black cloth providing a stark contrast for his light-red hair.

"Hokage-sama, my name is Hideaki and this is my nephew, Tetsuo," They both grinned as they bowed, putting the Sannin in mind of a certain prankster. "We are both Jounin and we represent the Hiraiyama Clan."

As they stepped aside to allow the last forward, the Hokage let out a gasp of surprise. "You… you two are…"

A wave of murmurs passed over the crowd as an old woman slightly older than Tsunade (at her true age) and a middle aged man approached the podium. Of the group they were dressed the most elaborately, the woman in a light blue layered silk kimono, her hair arranged in delicate twists on top of her head. The man, in matching colors, stood with his arms hidden away in long wide sleeves that had silver dragons embossed around the hem. What set them apart most, however, was not their style of dress, but their shocking light blue, almost white hair.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the old woman replied, bowing with more grace and fluidity than women half her age. "We are ex-ANBU representing the Ryuuno family… I am Chika and this is my younger brother, Tsume."

The younger Ryuuno bowed his head. "We are all here as the _Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu no Ninja-tai,_ the group sent out 18 years ago in search of the cause behind the youkai attacks plaguing Hi no Kuni all those years ago."

"I was not aware of any such mission," Tsunade said with a frown.

"It was a secret mission assigned by the Yondaime no Hokage," Hiraiyama Hideaki, who was by far the eldest of the procession, explained. "The Council was concerned by the number and severity of attacks occurring in the area surrounding Konoha."

"The _Kyuubi_ attacks!" someone in the assembly hissed. Tsunade shot a glare at the offender, but then nodded for the clansman to continue.

"Yes," Hideaki murmured. "We believed these attacks to be unprovoked but we were led to believe that the _Kyuubi no Youko_'s wrath was incited by none other than one of our own… one whose experimentation with humans, youkai, and cursed seals brought the Bijuu down upon us."

"Orochimaru," Tsunade ground out, inciting another round of murmurs from the crowd.

"He had been with the Akatsuki even then," Ryuuno Chika frowned. "His sin against Nature was an attempt to ruin what he had not been able to attain for himself."

The Slug Sannin frowned. She could remember her fellow teammate's fury at learning their sensei had nominated Jiraiya's star pupil for his seat. '_Wait a moment--_'

"I remember now…" she exclaimed. "There was a Ryuuno and a Hiraiyama on the Yondaime's genin squad!"

Hiraiyama Tetsuo and Ryunno Tsume bowed. "We later joined, along with Shiromoto Kaede under his command as a Jounin – unfortunately Kaede is no longer with us."

"I see," Tsunade replied. "You have my condolences." Still, on the inside she found herself very puzzled. Due to her time away from the village, there was a great deal unknown to her about her deceased predecessor. However, from her understanding, the young genius shinobi had been closely tied to these families. Why had he sent them away?

'_Ugh… so many questions to be answered… Grr, Jiraiya… Fine time for you to be on one of your little porn-writing jaunts you old lech…_'

Her eyes fell on the elder Ryuuno and she gave her a barely perceptible nod, as if sensing her frustration. They would discuss this matter in greater detail privately… later.

"We specialize in long term under-cover missions," Hideaki explained. "215 A-Rank… 175 S-Rank… We were still in tense relations with Iwa and Kumogakure following the war at the time, so it was our task to blend in with other Hidden Villages, gathering information on our neighbors. We have uncovered many scrolls and secrets that will be very beneficial to our own village."

Tsunade glanced at the large chest that had been brought in before the assembly began. She sighed.

'_Great… more paperwork…_' Taking a deep breath, she addressed the crowded room. "Let it be known that today is a great day… a day that marks the return of three great clans thought lost to us. They have done a great service to Konoha, bringing with them knowledge that will strengthen our village against any who would dare threaten us." She traced her terra cotta gaze across the wide room. "I entreat you all to welcome back the Hiraiyama, the Shiromoto, and the Ryuuno families... they are once again home where they belong."

As she finished speaking, the room ignited in loud applause. Unseen by all, a sweatdrop formed on the back of her hat. '_This is going to take a **lot** of paperwork…_'

End Chapter 2


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3** – Hiraiyama

While most of the damage wrought by the Suna-Oto War had been repaired, the small complex at the far end of the village had been forgotten, left to fall into disrepair. Tsunade stood at the entry way of said complex, her face flushed in embarrassment. She turned to the Hiraiyama clan leader, the older man sporting a very amused expression on his face. "I am very sorry about this, Hiraiyama-san…"

He turned to her, a grin spreading across his face. "Nonsense, Hime-sama," he assured. "This place has seen far worse, let me assure you."

"All of you will be comfortable?" she asked.

"I suppose it will take adjusting to," Ryuuno Chika sniffed, still perfectly coifed despite being covered in dust and armed with a hammer and armful of planks. "With all of our time on the road, it's been many years since some of us have seen one another."

"Your families are still very close?" she asked, walking with the two retirees to a small table that had been set up for their impromptu meeting.

"Yes, very much so…" Hideaki responded. "Our teams have always done very well assigned together. Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu they called us."

'_Much like the _Ino-Shika-Cho_ combination,_' Tsunade mused. "And the members of Yondaime's Jounin squad?"

"My nephew Tetsuo, Chika's brother Tsume, and Daiki's youngest… kami rest her soul…" Hideaki answered.

"Yet they were sent along on this mission… on the Yondaime's orders?" Tsunade asked. "Your entire clans?"

"All that were active ninja, at least," Daiki answered.

"I suspect those behind it are long since gone," Hideaki murmured. "But the nomination for the seat of Yondaime no Hokage brought with it much controversy, as you well know."

"Yes," Tsunade agreed. "Not only was Sensei still alive and capable of carrying out the job, but many felt that the new Hokage was just too young to be a suitable choice."

"Yes, there were people in the council that feared his rash youthfulness would doom the village… so they wanted to get him under the thumb as soon as possible."

'_And they couldn't do that with 3 clans backing him… The sneaky bastards…_'

"Whatever their motives may have been, the mission was for the sake of the village," Chika said softly. "We have all lost many – friends, family, loved ones – but we are still happy to be home."

"We are happy as well," Tsunade replied. "If there is anything I can do for you… please let me know."

"Actually, there is something…" Tsunade looked up to see Shiromoto Kanae approaching the table, the woman looking uncharacteristically meek. "Is it true what we heard… about Yondaime-sama?"

Tsunade's face clouded over. "He died… not long after…"

"Yes, Hime-sama… we know… we wish to hold a ceremony to honor him. But, is it true what we've heard?" The Hokage noted that the clans' heads looked just as eager to know as the younger kunoichi. "About Yondaime's Legacy…?"

Tsunade's face went ashen white. '_Aw, shit!_'

00

Several days had passed since the arrival of the returning ninja clans, or the _Rurouni Ninjatai_ as the rumor mill had come to call them. With all the paperwork Tsunade found herself dealing with, she had yet to find any time to give Team 7 the reaming she felt they deserved after their most recent travesty of a mission. As such, rather than report to her office and incite her wrath, the members of said team found themselves at their usual meeting spot. No one wanted to talk about what had gone wrong on the mission – where could they really start? – so they instead focused on the current goings-on of the village.

"Three new clans, huh?" Sasuke leaned against the railing of the bridge, obsidian eyes focused on the calm waters below. "I don't see the big deal."

"They're not new really," Sakura corrected. "Shizune-sempai said they resided here in the village nearly 20 years ago…" She paused, a frown passing over her face. "Though I do think it's strange to send so many people out on one mission… and for so long…"

"Someone probably wanted them out of the way," Sasuke ventured.

Sakura nodded. "You think they had a good reason for wanting them gone?"

"Power," he answered. "It's the only real reason anyone does anything."

The pink haired kunoichi frowned at her teammate, unsure of how to respond. Despite all of her efforts, however reformed he might have been there were still some times when there was just no pulling the Uchiha out of the funks he managed to work himself into. Not to say that his bad mood wasn't of his own making, of course, but it still worried her. Unsure of what she could do, Sakura glanced at their other teammate in hopes that _he _might be able to somehow lift the dark cloud that had fallen over the group.

Unfortunately, he was seated on the opposite railing engrossed in a book that thankfully seemed to have nothing to do with porn. She couldn't help assuming at first – after all, with a sensei like Kakashi and a mentor like Jiraiya, it was a wonder the boy wasn't a flaming pervert. Still Sakura couldn't help but sigh. She was glad that Sasuke was at least making an attempt at atonement and normalcy, but she found that in turn Naruto had taken on an entirely different stance in regards to their team. In the old days he'd acted out, making a fool out of himself to get attention; some days it seemed as if it would take an act of Kami to silence him. However, nowadays the blonde never actively participated in group conversations unless someone actually incited him to. One on one he was normal enough – joking, laughing, pulling small pranks like normal – but while with the whole team, unless it was relating to a mission, Naruto always limited his contact, finding some way to blend himself into the background.

Sakura knew she was to blame for this. When she first learned he had finally been returned to Konoha, Sakura's entire life was put on hold to dedicate herself to Sasuke and his rehabilitation. She would have liked to say that she was acting as a medic-nin should tending to a patient but she knew that wasn't true. Regardless of the hurt, anguish, and anxiety his defection had caused, at the sight of his broken body teetering on the brink of death the 18 year old medic found herself backsliding back to the insecure 12 year old genin she had once been. Despite the fact this once sullen-faced little boy had thought her nothing but a nuisance, an obstacle in his path to vengeance, he was once again her whole world…

To be fair, the years had changed Sasuke. Experiences brought wisdom and new perspective, and the young man had quickly come to realize that his goals could not be achieved as a puppet for the power-mad Snake Sannin. No one could be certain, but somewhere along the way it occurred to him that after all he had done, all the risks he had taken would have been for naught.

The Curse Seal that he bore was exactly what the name suggested, a stain, a dark taint that would eventually consume him body and soul. So, he returned… well, technically, once captured he agreed to stay and accept whatever fate the Council chose to give him. With no brother to kill, Sasuke was without a purpose… in the ended he needed Konoha just as much as it needed him… out of Orochimaru's hands.

She hadn't known what had happened during his retrieval. She hadn't asked and Naruto did not seem inclined to tell. The moment she laid eyes on Sasuke, the blonde merely stepped back watching her coddle the traitor, willing to pretend along with her that nothing was amiss. They'd pretend he hadn't chosen the Devil over two people willing to stand by him not matter what. Pretend he hadn't run a Chidori-charged hand through Naruto's chest, leaving him for dead. Pretend that Naruto had kept his promise to bring their missing teammate back because it was what they both that she wanted…

It had taken some time for Sakura to realize they were only pretending… but by then the damage was already done. Naruto had taken himself out of the picture… thus the game went on.

"Naruto-kun?"

The blonde glanced up from his book, blinked, and fixed his pink-haired teammate with his patented fox-grin. "Yes, Sakura-chan?"

There was even something different about the way he said her name now. His tone still held the same adoration for her, but sometimes it seemed a little forced… even Sasuke would react to the difference from time to time – not that he'd ever mention it, of course. Sakura was too much of a coward to bring it up either. Really, what was she going to say?

"Have you heard anything about these clans?"

He blinked again. "The old lady hasn't said anything to you about'em?"

Sasuke glanced at her, his eyes revealing his own curiosity about the matter. "Um, no…" She answered, embarrassed. In truth, she'd been trying to stay under her mentor's radar the last few days. All the paperwork had made her veerrrry cranky. "We've been too busy, I guess…"

"Hm," the blonde turned back to his book, his expression turning thoughtful at a particular passage before morphing into resigned amusement. "I haven't heard anything either."

"About what?" Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of them, complete with his usual smoke for affect.

"You're late, Sensei!" Sakura and Naruto said in unison, as per their custom.

"Yes, well," the silver-haired Jounin paused. What excuse hadn't he used yet? "I had to pick up my masks from the cleaners."

"Really now?" Sakura's tone was skeptical.

"Of course," Kakashi's eye crinkled in amusement. "I can't very well go out without a mask on, can I?"

Sakura and Sasuke fixed him with a bland look.

"What? Are you scared all the cute kunoichi'll run away getting a look at your horse teeth?" Naruto teased. "C'mon, I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

Kakashi gave him a suffering look before glancing at the book in his hand. "What's that you got there, Naruto?"

The blonde held up his book, never once tearing his blue eyes from its pages. The title '_Standard Battle Tactics for Shinobi Warfare_' stood out in bold letters on the front cover. The other members of Team 7 stared in silence, causing him to glance up in curiosity. "What?"

"Uh…" Kakashi stopped short, shaking his head. "Never mind… Is it interesting?"

"Kinda…" Naruto admitted. "Some of it's straight outta the Academy… but even the simplest stuff works best, right?"

"…Right."

Oblivious to his teammates stares of disbelief Naruto shut his book, stuffing it away in his side pouch where another thin booklet could be seen. Similar thoughts of '_Naruto reading… what the hell…?_' went through the others' minds simultaneously, though no one dared voice it aloud.

"So, Sensei," the blonde's arms went up behind his head in his customary stance. "Tsunade-baachan got any missions for us or are we still on her shit-list?"

"No missions yet," Kakashi answered. "She might wanna meet with us about our last mission after all this new business dies down, so be prepared."

The 3 ninja nodded.

"You know any of these ninja?" Sasuke asked.

"A few," Kakashi answered. "Did a few missions with some of them when I was younger." Before they could start drilling him for information, he turned away, scratching his head in a laidback way. "I better get going… more errands to run and all that. Later!" With a wave of his hand he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Well, that was informative," Sakura sighed. Although who could expect much else from the Copy Ninja. Still, with no missions lined up, what was she supposed to do for the rest of the day? It wasn't as if she could go by the hospital. "I really could go for something to eat," Two sets of eyes fell on her and she grinned widely. "You wanna go grab some lunch? Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke glanced back down at the water before pushing away from the railing to stand next to her muttering a soft, "Okay." Part of her would cheer every time he would agree to go on an outing with her, believing her perseverance to have finally paid off. However, a more sensible part of her knew no matter what, Sasuke would always agree to go with her… out of guilt.

She smiled at him nonetheless before turning a questioning eye to the blonde. "How about you, Naruto-kun? You're coming too, right?"

Yet, just as Sasuke would always say yes, Naruto's reaction would also always be the same. He'd study the two of them with bright blue eyes, give her a squinty-eyed grin and then say, "Nah, sorry, Sakura-chan. Maybe next time." Then in a manner much like their teacher, he would give a jaunty wave and then vanish in a poof of smoke leaving Sakura too upset to genuinely enjoy the outing.

Still, she could pretend.

"You ready, Sasuke-kun?"

"Yeah,"

00

The air in the compound was heavy with incense: someone somewhere was playing a lilting tune on a shamisen. It was a sad, haunting tune that made him feel like his heart was breaking and mending at the same time. It was very strange.

He stared down at the small shrine raised to honor the dead, among them two Hokage whom had died protecting the village and its people. There would later be a larger ceremony, but for now…

He closed his eyes, his fists clenched at his sides. It still hurt. "If only we could have been here…"

"We couldn't have," Tsume was beside him, dressed in black from head to toe. Kneeling before the small altar, his hair a stark contrast in the dark room, he like a ghost. When he spoke, his voice was quiet like the wind. "We had our orders… we could not return until the prescribed time."

"I know, I know," He turned away from his friend, suddenly feeling all of his 43 years of age. "But he _had_ to have known… he should have sent for us!"

"Say he _did_ know… perhaps that's why we weren't recalled," Kanae stood several feet behind them, allowing the two remaining original members of Squad 7 room to mourn their comrade. While she hadn't joined the team until her mid-teens – the late Yondaime had already made Jounin by then – she too had been very close to the genius ninja. "He knew we wouldn't have allowed him to carry out his last action…at least not alone."

Tsume nodded, his face calm despite the sadness Tetsuo could plainly see in his dark eyes. "It was a Fool's errand."

"All the same, we have to look ahead now," Kanae's voice was full of determination. "Yondaime-sama may be gone… but he's not forgotten."

Tetsuo looked up, his green eyes bright. "Yes, that's right… our mission isn't done yet." He glanced down at the piece of paper tucked in his pocket, an old worn photograph, as a fond smile came to his face. "We will carry out your last wish, Arashi-kun."

00

Naruto studied the goings-on with rapt interest from his spot on the rooftop of a large pagoda overlooking the development. Unlike the Hyuuga or empty Uchiha compound, this complex had no sentry posts at the main gate. The large doors were wide open, as was the service entrance; people came in and out carrying supplies for renovations. The blonde couldn't keep the grin from his face. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why these people were still looked at as a big mystery!

"Still hanging around?"

Blinking, Naruto glanced down to meet the aquamarine gaze of the same girl he had met only days before. However, the slight differences were the single blue stripe running across her cheek and her now unusually bright, cherry-red hair.

She'd used a _henge_ on him and he hadn't even realized! "So, you're a ninja, too, huh?" He gave her a skeptical look.

She grinned sheepishly. "I never said I wasn't." she answered

"Coulda said you were from the beginning." he said, folding his arms.

Her expression turned contrite. "You didn't ask."

She had a point. Naruto sighed, jumping down from his perch. "You're right about that," he conceded.

The girl smiled at him. "Glad you're not mad," she said. "A ninja's gotta do what a ninja's gotta do."

"I suppose so," Naruto scratched his head. "So, you guys are living here now?"

The girl glanced at the construction going on behind them. "Yep… it's not quite '_Home, sweet home_' just yet, but it's better'n sleeping outdoors."

"A lotta that, huh?"

"Yep… try 17 years of it."

"Wow, thought I had it bed,"

She grinned. Then realizing her lack of manners, she replied, "Ah! That's twice I've snuck up on you and scared you--"

Naruto pulled a face. "You only surprised me the first time!"

She laughed. "What I mean is, I haven't introduced myself yet." She bowed slightly. "My name's Ame. Hiraiyama Ame."

"Uzumaki Naruto at your service."

The redhead's grin only widened, catching the blonde off guard. What had he said? "If that's the case," she said, laughing. "You wouldn't mind giving us a hand, right?"

Us? He froze; that hadn't been exactly what he'd meant. "Well, I…"

Conveniently oblivious to his reluctance, the girl grabbed him by the hand and led him further into the compound. "C'mon, you'll get to meet everyone! It'll be great!"

Seemingly powerless against the girl's exuberance – damn Jiraiya and his bad influence! – Naruto could only nod dumbly and follow. Truth be told, this Hiraiyama girl looked to be very interesting, perhaps the rest of her clan would prove to be the same.

00

Hiraiyamas were redheads, Naruto deduced, taking in the vast number of carrot-topped individuals bustling in and out the line of houses dotting this section of the complex. As far as hair color had been concerned, Konoha's spectrum had been very limited. Because of this it was mind-blowing to see so many varying shades of red in one place. So caught off guard was he by the sight of them that he didn't notice the surprised looks being sent his way.

At his awed expression, Ame grinned. "You think _our _hair is something?" She tugged at a strand of her own cherry-colored locks. "Wait'll you see the Ryuuno's."

"_Ryuuno_… they're part of the Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu formation?"

"Yup," Ame answered. "There's never been a Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu group that failed yet."

"Yeah?" It all sounded much recited, but he thought nothing of it. In truth, Naruto found himself intrigued; it sounded a lot like Team 10's combo. "What's your specialty?'

Ame stopped by the side of one house, arming herself with a large pail and some paint brushes. Gesturing for Naruto to grab the remaining pails she answered, "Well, a lot of our groups specialize in combat mostly… but since we've spent so much time undercover, our skills eventually began to include tracking and surveillance."

"Oh, so that makes you a pretty well rounded shinobi, eh?" Naruto grinned.

She gave him a mock pout. "Oh, you don't believe me?"

"I'd have to see ya to believe it." Naruto responded.

"What are you, an expert?"

"Maybe not yet, but I will be," Naruto promised. "I'm gonna be Hokage someday."

"Hokage?" Ame paused in front of a large old house at the end of the street. Setting down her pail and brushes on the front step, she turned to give him a measuring look.

"What, you don't believe me?" he fixed her a squinty-eyed look, squirming under her scrutiny.

"Maybe," she sniffed. "But I'd have to see it to believe it." The wink she threw him assured him she was only teasing. "But, first thing's first… we gotta paint this house."

"Is this where you're staying?" Naruto asked, surveying the old structure. It was a little rundown due to being uninhabited for many years, but it was none too worse for the wear. It had a simple elegance to it with mild elements of traditional Japanese architecture, setting it apart from all the others. The blonde found he rather liked it.

"Oh no, this house isn't ours," Ame said. She gave the house a very fond look. "It belongs to a very close family friend…"

The two stared at the house several moments before Ame clapped her hands together, breaking the spell of silence. "So, what say you to getting started?"

Naruto grinned. "Just this… **_Kage Bushin no Jutsu!_**"

00

"So, this is the one?" Ryuuno Chika held a small photo in small, weathered hands, her deep gaze studying the image contained within.

Tsunade glanced up from one of the Hirai-Shiro-Ryuu scrolls spread out in front of her, taking note of the small frame held in the clan head's hands. She did her best not to cringe; the particular image the refined, elder woman had happened upon on her bookshelf was one of the least dignified images of him in her possession. The taker of the shot was still unknown, but the photo contained her and Konohagakure's #1 Knucklehead amidst one of their verbal spars, their eyes squinted and faces red in fury. Judging by her stance, she was just seconds away from belting him across the room.

She couldn't remember what they were arguing about, but the photo itself was pretty damned funny.

The Ryuuno Matriarch reseated herself among the other two clan heads and their accompanying representatives in the small meeting room Tsunade had selected for them all to review and catalog the information collected during their mission. It was amidst one of their breaks that said picture was discovered.

"Who's this now?" Hideaki glanced up from his tea that he was attempting to mix with sake. Tsunade smirked; a guy after her own heart.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Tsunade answered, nodding her own thanks as the Hiraiyama Patriarch topped off her own cup, much to her assistant's displeasure. "Of Team 7…"

"Team 7?" Testuo remarked, intrigued. "Who's leading this time around?"

"Hatake Kakashi," Shizune supplied.

"Making quite a name for himself," Tsume said. "It's fitting, I suppose… considering who _his _sensei was."

"He's also had training with Jiraiya," Tsunade said, a hint of pride in her voice for her fellow blonde and surrogate little brother.

Daiki nodded his approval, but Tetsuo pulled a face. "I trust he hasn't picked up any bad habits from the old coot,"

"God, no! I'd never allow it!" the Hokage exclaimed. "He's quite unlike what you might expect from him…"

"How is that, Tsunade-hime?" Kanae asked, pouring herself and Chika another helping of tea.

"Well, for starters he's known as Konohagakure's #1 Knucklehead and he's best when it comes to surprising people."

"Sounds like a prankster to me." Tetsuo grinned.

"He is," Tsunade grinned, but her expression soon turned somber. "Always has been, too… when he was younger it was the only way he could think of to get attention."

Silence fell over the room.

"Why would the one the Yondaime chose to be the Hero of our village need to _act out_ for attention?" Daiki asked, frowning.

The Hokage took a heavy breath. How could she begin to explain to the Yondaime no Hokage's greatest supporters that the one in whom he'd placed an ultimate trust had spent the greater portion of his life shunned by the very people he had died to protect?

"Naruto…" She trailed off, choosing her words carefully. "Has never received the kindest treatment from the people of this village." Certainly that was the understatement of the year… how he hadn't ended up a drooling, stark-raving, homicidal maniac like Gaara was a miracle she could not begin to comprehend. Though she had to admit the Kazekage had improved his temperament by leaps and bounds thanks to the roguish blonde. Still, only a handful of people had shown the boy any kindness early on in life… Sarutobi-sensei, Iruka, the Ichiraku owner and his family… and yet Naruto's ultimate goal was to become strong enough to protect everyone…

"He is… nothing short of amazing…"

"Hokage-sama…" Chika's soft and elegant voice was strained with incredulity. "Do you mean to say that the people are unaware of the sacrifice this boy was chosen to make on their behalf?"

That wasn't the half of it. Tsunade's face was strained with resentment. "After that day, a law was mandated that no one would speak of what occurred," she said bitterly. "It was the Yondaime's hope and way of repentance to allow the boy some semblance of a normal life. Sensei said that the Yondaime had wanted him to be viewed as the village's savior, but there were still some people that shunned him and taught their children to do the same, all but completely ostracizing him."

Tetsuo rose from his seat so suddenly his tea tipped over, spilling across the table.

"So children begun to hate him without even knowing why!" he exclaimed.

"Yes… and neither did he," Tsunade said sadly. "Up until six years ago, he had no idea that he was the jailer of the Kyuubi no Youko."

"I cannot believe this!"

"Tetsuo-san," Tsunade said softly, her hands clenched so tightly around her cup that a hairline crack could be seen on the rim. "You do not know how much it angers me to think of all this boy has had to endure. I see the way people look at him, the way they treat him, and it hurts my heart to see him smile and shrug it off as if it doesn't mean anything when I know that it tears at him day by day."

"You care very much about him," Tsume commented, only his eyes showing the warmth he felt at her show of compassion.

Tsunade nodded. "I would not even be here if not for him," '_In more ways than one…_' "And that's why it pains me, even after everything he's done for me and Konoha, to keep from him the most important secret of all…"

"Hokage-sama!"

"You mean he doesn't know!"

"Tsunade-hime," Tetsuo ground out. "After all he's been through… how could you keep something like this a secret from him?"

"It is part of the law Yondaime instilled," she said. "No one was to know, to protect him."

"From what you've told us, Hokage-sama," Tsume said. "He has not been very well protected at all."

"It's not the villagers we need concern ourselves with…" Tsunade frowned. "Naruto's given name is _Uzumaki_ to protect him whilst he is _outside_ the village." She took a sip of her tea. "God love him, but the kid has a big mouth… Can you imagine what would happen if he were outside Fire Country spouting off his _true _family name…?"

Shizune cringed, no doubt getting a visual.

"If he knew the truth…" Chika said. "Surely he wouldn't be so reckless…"

The Hokage snorted. "The latest pupil of the Legendary Jiraiya?" She smirked at the expressions on Tetsuo and Kanae's faces – unsurprisingly Tsume's remained impassive, but she may have seen his left eye twitch. "Surely you don't know Uzumaki Naruto!"

00

"Aahaaaa-_Choo_!" Naruto momentarily lost his balance, recovering quickly enough to catch his pail from tipping over.

One of his clones situated on the rooftop above him shot him a suffering look. "Man, what's with the sneezing?" it complained. "That's the fifth one in the past 3 minutes!"

"So glad you're keeping track," he remarked sullenly. "Must be coming down with something."

"Orrr," Another clone at the foot of the ladder, smirked up at them. "Somebody must be talkin' about ya!"

Naruto and the first clone stared at the second a few moments before simultaneously crowing, "Yeah right!"

Ame came around the side of the house with 4 more Naruto clones in tow, an awed expression on her face. Her mind was still, even after 3 hours of painting, trying to wrap itself around the fact that this boy was able to create not only solid shadow clones, but clones that were sentient, cognizant, and able to function independently of one another. Plus there was the number of clones to take into consideration. Naruto and two clones had been working on the eastern side of the house, she and the 4 clones on the west, while she had seen 5 others that reported to completing the rest before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

It was nothing short of amazing. She found herself wondering what else he was capable of.

"You finished already?"

She looked up at the three blondes grinning down at her. "Yep, I win," she teased. "Though I gotta admit I had some help."

The four clones looked away flustered, shuffling their feet bashfully.

"Aw, cut it out, you four! You're embarrassing yourselves!" Naruto exclaimed, and with another short cry of 'Kai!', released the jutsu.

Ame approached him as he jumped down from the ladder. "I've never seen someone with such a mastery of that jutsu," she awed. "It's Jounin level, isn't it?"

Naruto nodded, folding his arms behind his head as he surveyed his handiwork. It seemed as if all those D-ranks from back in the day had really paid off. "I know," he admitted. "It's one of the first jutsu I can honestly say I've mastered… though I nearly got in a lot of trouble for it." He remembered Mizuki and the Forbidden Scroll, Iruka-sensei taking the blow meant for him, learning he was the jailer for the Kyuubi… he pushed his mind from those morbid thoughts, refocusing his attention on the smiling redhead in front of him.

"I can bet," she agreed. "It takes a lot of chakra manipulation to create that many solid, stable clones." And ones she could paint and converse with for several hours, to boot. "You and me are gonna have to spar sometime."

The thought of a new sparring partner caused the blonde's grin to widen. "Anytime, anyplace."

Pleased at his response, Ame's grin widened to match his. "Well, all right," she said, gathering her pail and brushes in her arms. "I gotta run and get on to my next task, but you gotta come by again soon." She paused, and then smirked. "And next time you don't have to hide around in the trees; just ask for Ame, kay?"

Laughing out loud, Naruto nodded. "All right, all right, ya got me!"

"Well, I'll see you later, Uzumaki-san," she grinned, leaping off.

Naruto watched her go, a thoughtful expression passing over his whiskered face. '_Hiraiyama Ame…_' Lingering in the yard only a few moments more, he turned and headed towards the compound exit, oblivious to the eyes following him the whole way.

00

Dusk set in and the street lanterns were being lit throughout the village's restaurant district as proprietors prepared for the evening rush. Walking down the slightly crowded streets, Sakura and Sasuke busied themselves with simply taking in the sights, enjoying the brief reprieve from mission…

… or at least they were trying to.

The pair had gone to lunch together at a small café near Team 7's training area, following that up with a brief sparring session. From then on the rest of the day was spent merely in the other's company. Most would think this a nice way for a young ninja couple to spend the afternoon; on most levels Sakura would be inclined to agree. Yet, as much as she had yearned for those one on one outings with Sasuke, there was always a strained tension between the two of them, as if both of them were forcing themselves to participate. It was like the outing was an obligation they both felt the needed to fulfill.

It all seemed so… fake. Sakura hated it, and yet she continued to play along.

"I thought today was really nice, Sasuke-kun," she said, keeping her eyes on the path ahead of them.

Sasuke's eyes fell on her briefly, before moving away again. He nodded slightly. "I'm glad you think so, Sakura…"

Had she expected him to say he had had a blast? Of course not… Sasuke would never lie. Yet, he too played along… but for whose sake…? He was like a marionette who went along with whomever pulled his strings the hardest. Itachi…Orochimaru… Konoha's Council… Sakura was infinitely glad the Snake Sannin no longer had a hold on him, but she didn't want to be his puppeteer either.

She was already the star in her own twisted little farce…

"We should get Naruto-kun and Kakashi-sensei to join us next time," she mused. "It'd be nice for us all to do something together for once."

"Hm,"

For one, it had been ages since they'd all sparred together. Perhaps that was the cause for the loss of their synchronicity (what little they'd had)… Or at least one of them.

"Maybe," Sakura persisted. "After our next meeting, all four of us can have a training session… it's been a while since we've all trained together." It was true; Naruto trained with Jiraiya, Sakura trained with Tsunade, Naruto sparred with Sakura, Sakura sparred with Sasuke, Kakashi sparred with Sasuke. However, the medic-nin could not recall the last time Naruto sparred with Sasuke or Kakashi. "That might be the reason we've been having so much trou—"

"Sakura," She turned to the Uchiha, whose gaze was fixed on the path they walked, his eyes darker than usual.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" She turned to him, smiling.

He stopped, an unreadable expression coming over his face. He gaze traveled up at their path, his voice very low. "Is there anything else you want to do today?"

Sakura's smile faltered, and she shook her head slowly.

The dark haired ninja nodded, his eyes briefly flickering to the rooftops where they both knew 3 ANBU were present. It was part of the terms of his probation; while not away on missions outside the village, Sasuke was to be under 24-hour ANBU surveillance until it was decided he no longer presented a threat to Konohagakure or himself. Also, he had to meet with a committee once a month to evaluate is 'rehabilitation'.

"We'll meet again tomorrow for some sparring, won't we, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke paused, glancing over at her. "We can't," he said.

She flinched, surprisingly hurt. "Oh… okay."

He gave her a studying look. "You have your shift at the Hospital tomorrow."

She blinked. How is it he had remembered that and she hadn't? "Yeah, that's right…" She rubbed her arm, embarrassed. "Thanks, Sasuke-kun."

He nodded once again, turning to walk away. As he did so, he said over his shoulder, "Maybe Saturday."

Sakura blinked again, then nodded as a small smile broke across her face. "Okay."

They had a long way to go… but maybe things would be all right after all.

End Chapter 3


End file.
